State Politics & News
Coverage of state politics, elections, and conservative policy battles across all 50 states shaping America’s future.
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opinion
University of Texas at Austin Nixes Beijing-Funded Propaganda Institute
The University of Texas at Austin has become the latest North American institution of higher learning to reject the idea of a Chinese Confucius Institute on its campus. Confucius Institutes are major elements in the Chinese global propaganda offensive, being offered with millions of dollars in funding to universities and colleges around the world by the… -
opinion
We Hear You: The Schumer Shutdown, ‘Dreamers,’ 2 Marches, and California’s Tax Grab
Editor's note: The Daily Signal's readers weren't favorably impressed by the Democrat-driven government "shutdown" that barely outlasted a weekend. Nothingburger or not, it leads our roundup today. Be sure to write us at [email protected].—Ken McIntyre Dear Daily Signal: Regarding Genevieve Wood’s commentary on the government shutdown, politicians would rather have an issue than a solution… -
opinion
University of Virginia Betrays the Legacy of Its Founder, Thomas Jefferson
The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, which is located in Charlottesville and is dedicated to “the defense of free expression in all its forms,” gives out annual awards called the “Jefferson Muzzles” to individuals and organizations responsible for “especially egregious or ridiculous affronts to free expression.” The center’s first such award… -
opinion
Hawaii’s False Missile Alarm Exposed Critical Weaknesses. Here’s What Must Be Done.
The false alarm of a missile attack on Hawaii and the completely inadequate civil defense response deserve much more than snickers and head shakes. These problems must be fixed. The fiasco Jan. 13 was indeed caused by a simple human error: A state operations center worker hit the wrong button. That’s easy to fix. A… -
news
California Democrats Want Businesses to Turn Over Half Their Tax-Cut Savings to the State
Democrat state lawmakers in California say they want some businesses to give half their tax-cut savings from congressional Republicans’ tax reform package to the state. That’s no way to create jobs and raise pay, conservatives fire back. “It’s typical that Democrats in California see every dollar back in taxpayers’ pocket as a dollar they can… -
opinion
Licensing Laws Have Long Been a Drain on the Economy. But Florida Could Soon See Reform.
Florida lawmakers are finally addressing the elephant in the barbershop: Floridians must endure 1,200 training hours, pass an exam, and pay a $223.50 fee just to cut hair for money. In the first weeks of Florida’s 60-day legislative session, the state House passed a bill, H.B. 15, to loosen the chokehold that several licensing regulations… -
news
DOJ Backs Effort to Repeal California Law Requiring Pro-Lifers to Promote Abortion
The Department of Justice filed an amicus (or “friend-of-the-court”) brief at the Supreme Court, urging the justices to overturn a California law requiring pro-life crisis pregnancy centers to post information about state-funded abortions. The Supreme Court has agreed to review the law in November. The law, called the Reproductive FACT Act, requires crisis pregnancy clinics to post… -
opinion
Judge Upholds Alabama Voter ID Law in Win for Common Sense
A federal judge in Alabama has thrown out a lawsuit against the state’s voter ID law, finding that the law doesn’t prevent anyone from voting because “nearly the entire population of registered voters in Alabama already possess a photo ID that can be used for voting.” For those who don’t, obtaining a qualifying ID can… -
news
Incoming New Jersey Governor Wants to Create an Entire Agency to Protect Illegal Immigrants
Newly inaugurated New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy plans to establish the Garden State as a bastion of far-left policies, including a first-of-its-kind government agency devoted exclusively to protecting the rights of legal and illegal immigrants alike. Murphy, a Democrat and former Goldman Sachs financier who was swept into office on the back of former Gov…. -
news
Below-Freezing Temperatures Don’t Stop Record Numbers of Pro-Lifers From Marching in Chicago
Despite frigid temperatures, record numbers of people came out to march against abortion Sunday at Chicago’s 2018 March for Life. More than 6,000 people gathered at the march, marking the largest pro-life gathering in the Midwest to date. “This March for Life Chicago drew people of all ages, from across the Midwest,” said Dawn Fitzpatrick, president of… -
news
Washington Post: We Didn’t Attack The Daily Caller, and Don’t Know Why Google Is
Google’s relatively new “fact check” feature proves there’s something fundamentally wrong with at least some of its highly influential algorithms, after an investigation by The Daily Caller News Foundation found that the widget is both blatantly biased and tremendously faulty. The most powerful search engine in the world and a massive arbiter of online information, Google… -
news
Delaware County Could Miss Right-to-Work Boom, Chief of Kentucky County Predicts
GEORGETOWN, Delaware—Despite one county’s decision to reject a right-to-work law, Delaware will remain the only state in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic with a local statute prohibiting imposition of union mandates on private sector employees. The town of Seaford intends to move ahead with its right-to-work law even though surrounding Sussex County backed down in the… -
opinion
New York Times Gets the Facts Wrong on Land Mines
Every year, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines publishes a report on the number of casualties caused by land mines—or so it says. And every year, gullible journalists take the report’s headline figure at face value. But this year, the worst offender is a particularly prestigious outlet: The New York Times, whose editorial board authored… -
opinion
I’m a Mormon, and The New York Times Needlessly Defamed My Church’s Leader
Thomas S. Monson, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died last week at the age of 90. Revered as a prophet by the approximately 16 million Mormons scattered across the globe, Monson devoted his life to serving God and his fellow men. So it was with great sadness that I read… -
news
Arizona Governor Says ‘Cut It Out’ to Ban on Unlicensed Haircuts for Homeless Vets
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey wants one occupational licensing rule to get a trim after Juan Carlos Montes de Oca was ordered to stop giving haircuts to homeless veterans by the state cosmetology board. Montes de Oca, a cosmetology student from Tucson, was inspired by a man in London who helped the homeless on his days… -
opinion
In a Harsh New Hampshire Winter, Passage of Education Savings Accounts Is a Breath of Spring
As New Hampshire hunkers down for another brutal January, lawmakers are giving families something to look forward to once the snow melts: namely, more opportunities. The state House of Representatives on Jan. 3 voted in favor of an education savings account proposal, which would give families and students more options for where and how a child… -
news
Delaware County Stalls Right-to-Work Vote as Unions Protest
GEORGETOWN, Delaware—County officials put off action Tuesday on a right-to-work ordinance after dozens of union members turned out in force at government offices to oppose the legislation during a public hearing. Members of the Sussex County Council asked for a formal opinion from the county attorney pending a vote that could come as early as… -
news
California Is Officially a Sanctuary State
A sweeping immigration law took effect Monday in California, officially making it the country’s largest sanctuary state. The controversial law, SB 54, passed the state Legislature in September and was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown the following month. It prevents police in California, which has by far the nation’s largest illegal immigrant… -
news
New York Governor Pardons 18 Illegal Immigrants
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo mimicked California Gov. Jerry Brown’s approach to immigration, pardoning 18 convicted illegal immigrants who faced deportation. Cuomo, a Democrat, praised himself on Twitter for his compassion Thursday before linking to a New York Times article supporting the move. Cuomo claimed the federal government is “tear[ing] families apart” with the Trump administration's current immigration… -
news
California Democrat Wants to Mandate State Colleges Have Abortion Pills Ready for Students
California lawmakers are debating whether to adopt a bill that would require California’s public universities and colleges to offer abortion drugs at their health centers. Senate Bill 320, sponsored by state Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, will mandate that the state’s community colleges and public universities provide women with abortion pills for up to 10 weeks…